1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shoulder resets for use with violins, violas, or other violin-like instruments.
2. Prior Art
Shoulder rests for violins and like instruments are known which provide a padded support spaced from the back of the instrument, with the spacing being adjustable. Such rests allow the user easily to position the instrument at the most comfortable playing position, irrespective of the build of the user. Prior patents showing such rests are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,754, issued Jan. 4, 1972 to Joseph Kun,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,474, issued Dec. 14, 1993 xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9d,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,226, issued May 30, 1995 xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9d;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,893, issued Oct. 22, 1996 to Michael Kun.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,531, issued Mar. 24, 1998 also to Michael Kun, and of which I am co-inventor.
These prior patents show shoulder rests comprising an elongated support suitable for resting on a user""s shoulder, and pedestals upstanding from each end of the support and carrying clamping members for clamping to the edges of the instrument back. Each clamping member is associated with adjustment means for varying the height of the associated pedestal, so as to vary the spacing between the instrument back and the support and the longitudinal inclination of the support relative to the instrument back. Also, in each case the pedestals include pivot means allowing them to be tiltable sideways for varying the side or lateral inclination between the support and the instrument back. In the ""754 and ""474 patents, the latter means include pivots connecting the pedestals to a base part fixed to the support. In the ""893 patent, a pedestal is connected to a base part by a bearing generally aligned with the support, and allowing similar tilting, and spring means are provided between the pedestal and the base part for urging the pedestal to a central position.
In the ""226 and ""531 patents, the pedestals are not only tiltable sideways as in the prior patents, but are also made foldable about transverse axes so that when the shoulder rest is removed from the instrument the pedestals can be folded inwards to bring the clamping members close to the elongated support. This reduces the height of the shoulder rest so that it can be fitted, along with the instrument, into a typical instrument case.
The present invention provides a shoulder rest which allows the same kind of adjustability as is provided in the patented constructions described above, and, like the ""226 and ""531 patents, also allows folding so that the rest can fit into an instrument case. However the mechanism of this invention provides advantages over the designs of the prior patents, especially in allowing for adjustment of the shoulder rest while it is on, or being attached to, the instrument; the adjustments do not require removal of the rest from the instrument, as hitherto. Also, the rest can be attached to the instrument without forcing the clamping members over the edges of the instrument back. Furthermore, the shoulder rest support has adjustment means to improve the fit on a user which are not available in the known rests.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a shoulder rest for an instrument such as a violin or, viola comprises an elongated support suitable for resting on a user""s shoulder, and attachment means adjacent each end of the support for attachment to the instrument with the support spaced away from the back of the instrument, wherein at least one of said attachment means comprises:
a base part upstanding from the support, the base part having a socket portion with an internal cavity or recess;
a pedestal comprising a nut member fitted within the internal cavity or recess and having a threaded bore, the pedestal including a normally upright threaded stem mounted in said bore;
a clamping member carried by the stem and engageable with a back portion of said instrument,
the socket portion having means for retaining the nut member while allowing its rotation about the axis of its bore,
and wherein the nut member has hand manipulatable means allowing it to be rotated manually within the cavity or recess about the stem axis to raise or lower the stem relative to the base part and thereby to adjust the height of the clamping member relative to the support while the clamping member remains connected to the instrument.
The hand manipulatable means may include finger grip means on the side surfaces of the nut member, the socket portion being open at its sides to allow access to these side surfaces for rotating said nut member.
The base part may be connected to the support by means including a lead screw movable with the base part and which is threaded into a bore in a part solid with the support, whereby the lead screw allows the attachment means to be moved along the direction of the support; this allows the shoulder rest to be fitted onto an instrument back without being forced over the edges of the back.
The nut member, in addition to being rotatable about the stem axis, may also be pivotable to allow folding of the pedestal into alignment with the support after the rest has been removed from the instrument. For this purpose, the stem moves in a slot in the socket portion. The socket portion may have a lateral enlargement of the upper end of the slot, to also allow lateral tilting of the pedestal.
The nut member may have a projection at its upper end movable in the slot of the socket portion, and may also have a projection at its lower end. A spring member may be provided having an inner end fixed to the base part and having an outer end portion which engages the lower end projection to restrict the tilting motion of the pedestal. Where the pedestal folds, the spring member may be disengaged to allow the folding to occur. Instead of the lower end projection, the nut member may have a recess at its lower end receiving an upwardly projecting outer end of the spring member.
Instead of the pedestal being tiltable relative to the elongated support, the support may include an elongated member having end portions carrying shoulder pads which are themselves adjustable for lateral tilt relative to the member. Such shoulder pads may, alternatively, be angularly adjustable about a transverse axis so as to fit individual players"" shoulders.